Heretofore numerous types of skillets, pans and other types of cooking utensils have been known for the preparation of singular food commodities; that is, a separate utensil being necessary for the preparation of each type of food. During such preparation, heat and/or steam escapes from the prepared food and either enters into the room in which the food is being prepared or is exhausted to the outside. Such escapement or exhaust results in a substantial waste of thermal energy. Since it is often required by those preparing food to either warm, steam, or rewarm small quantities of food other than the main dish, such as baked goods, baby food, leftovers and the like, it is desirable to utilize the otherwise wasted thermal energy for such purposes.
Still further, it has been known that the frying of foods in an oil or margarin medium often results in a splattering of grease into the area surrounding the cooking utensil and inherently creates an untidy situation. To prevent such grease splattering, a cover of some type is necessary for the skillet or fry pan and heretofore there have been introduced mesh coverings for such purposes. However, such coverings quickly saturate with grease and become quite difficult to clean. Further, double lids have been proposed wherein holes in each of two lid coverings are brought into and out of registration for venting purposes while preventing splattering. Again, such double-lid structures have been found difficult to keep clean and sanitary since grease often embeds itself between the two lids.
Consequently, it is an object of the instant invention to present a cooking utensil and particularly a pan cover which is operative for preventing grease splattering while being substantially impervious to clogging and which is easily cleaned.
It is a further object of the invention to prevent a cooking utensil wherein a pan cover is provided with vents or the like for communication with an area wherein small quantities of side dishes, leftovers or the like may be placed and be steamed, warmed or reheated by the escaping heat and steam from the preparation of the main dish.
Yet a further object of the invention is to present a cooking utensil which is simplictic in structure, effective in operation, easily cleaned and relatively inexpensive to construct.
These objects and other objects which will become apparent as the detailed description proceeds are achieved by: a substantially flat central section having a recessed plate suspended therefrom, the plate being characterized by a plurality of venting holes passing therethrough; a first edge member connected to the central section in angled depending relationship about the periphery thereof; a second edge member connected to the first edge member in angled ascending relationship about the periphery thereof; and a lip connected about the circumference of the second edge member in substantial parallel planar relationship with the flat central section.